The Shinmonzen — Hotel in Kyoto

TL;DR 10/5 The Shinmonzen is now my favorite hotel. Ever. While the room design could be slightly improved, the exceptional staff and thoughtful hospitality made this one of the best stays of my life. If you’re thinking about booking—don’t hesitate. Just go.||||I truly don’t have enough superlatives to describe how wonderful Shinmonzen is. I’ve stayed at many luxury properties around the world, and this one stands out—not for opulence or sheer size—but for the warmth, care, and thoughtfulness of every single staff member. It’s rare to feel this genuinely welcomed and taken care of.||||||🌟 Impeccable Service That Sets a New Standard||||From the moment we arrived, we were met with kindness, attention to detail, and true hospitality.||||Luna welcomed us warmly and gave us a thoughtful tour of the room. Upon check-in, she also let us know that because it was Setsubun, there would be several events taking place across Kyoto. She even gave us thoughtful recommendations on where to go to avoid the crowds. Thanks to her advice, we got to enjoy unique cultural experiences like traditional performances at Yasaka Shrine and the festive atmosphere at Yoshida Shrine. It also turned out to be the coldest day of the year, so we appreciated the advance planning even more.||||Dana introduced us to a charming little alleyway nearby—a local shortcut that became one of our favorite hidden gems during our stay.||||Joe, Osame, Yamashiro-san, Yoshi, and Chloe were each amazing in their own way—gracious, engaging, and always one step ahead of what we might need.||||This was one of the best hotel teams I’ve ever encountered. It’s the kind of service that feels less like luxury, and more like someone genuinely taking care of you.||||||🏠 Room & Design||||The shower stall has a stone stool awkwardly placed in the middle. It looks nice, but functionally, it made showering feel a bit cramped and strange.||||That said, the room is beautiful and very Instagram-worthy. Every detail is photo-ready: soft lighting, artisan touches, and those calming neutral tones that feel both modern and serene.||||If you book a room with a hinoki tub, the staff will offer to fill it up for you every evening—a truly luxurious treat to return to after a long day out in Kyoto.||||||💭 Thoughtful Touches||||This is where The Shinmonzen truly shines. Small details were what made the stay feel so personal:||||Every evening, we came back to a full box of local desserts—not just a token treat, but an actual full-sized seasonal delight. After walking all day around Kyoto, this was such a thoughtful and comforting surprise to return to.||||One rainy night, we weren’t feeling great and didn’t want to go out for dinner. We decided to order unadon from a restaurant that only offered pick-up. When the staff found out, they went out and picked it up for us—unprompted. Who does that?! That level of care is rare anywhere in the world.||||Downstairs, there’s a single massage room in the basement. Don’t let its size fool you—the therapist is incredible. I highly recommend booking the shiatsu massage.||||On the first floor is the Ogata shop, a beautifully curated boutique stocked with modern desserts, teas, and exquisite ceramic pieces. It's a lovely way to take home a small piece of Shinmonzen's aesthetic.||||||🌍 Location||||The location couldn’t be better. The hotel is tucked away on a quiet residential street, surrounded by art galleries and calm ambiance, yet it’s just a stone's throw from Gion's main streets and Yasaka Shrine. Our balcony looked out over the serene Shirakawa stream, which made mornings and evenings feel magical.||||||📦 Final Thoughts||||The Shinmonzen isn’t a huge, flashy hotel—but it doesn’t need to be. The service here speaks volumes. They’ve created a small, elegant space that feels deeply personal. I would stay here again in a heartbeat just to be cared for by this incredible team.||||I can honestly say this is my favorite hotel stay to date. I already miss it—and I can’t...

This is now our favorite hotel and we have been all over the globe. The reason is that the service is flawless. We came to celebrate our daughter’s double graduation. She wanted to stay at a traditional Ryokan and I desired modern conveniences so we found this modern take on a Ryokan and it was a wonderful perfect choice. It is located in Gion which is great for walking. The rooms face a canal that flows from a river. The decor is light wood and sliding paper panels covering sliding glass doors. Very peaceful. There is in the winter a bit of a draft from the windows but the heat works great and we were comfortable. We stayed at the Urushi and Jiki rooms - the former has a wooden soaking tub. They both have seating areas and the latter has a small desk. They have small outdoor porches for when the weather is better. I love being able to open the doors and let in fresh air. The beds are very comfortable and we all slept well. It is mostly quiet except for an occasional car sound or ravens making sounds. We had a cute heron living across the canal I named Noaoki. The shower is nice but there is a large cement block in the middle that I didn’t think was necessary. |Now for the staff. They are amazing. The queen is a lady named Luna (Haruna in Japanese) who needs to have her salary doubled. She asked us our wishes before we arrived. She made sure all of our transportation was taken care of, that food allergies were respected, that we were at all times happy and entertained. It was like having a fairy godmother. We love Luna. She got us a walking tour with a wonderful Balinese man on staff named Mr. Dana. Great man with a great smile. Luna got us a meditation with a monk named Mr Ito at the Ryosokuin Temple. Amazing. She got us a tea ceremony at the Shigemori Tea House with geiko Fukuhiro and maiko Fukuyama. They prepared tea, performed and played a fun game with my kids. Luna was there to translate. So fun. She helped with restaurant reservations. The staff filled our tub with hot water, gave us treats like chilled yuzu water, handed us hand warmers on the way out, etc. Ten stars to all of them and a big thank you. Housecleaners kept everything neat and clean. Small complaint is that they rearranged personal items on the desk and would turn on a floor lamp at turndown that does not turn off with the master switch. That was it. All else was wonderful. The small restaurant was great for breakfast every day. Delicious food! We also went one night for dinner and it was good. Small nitpicks: the gluten free bread was lousy and tasted packaged (should be made in house). The chefs loudly cleaned the open kitchen during our meal (should wait until guests leave). After the very expensive meal, two of us who are not allergic were given cakes as a parting gift. It would be kind if they had also arranged gf cakes for the two of us with allergies. Luna made up for this slight by showering us with parting gifts that were very thoughtful and lovely. We were very very sad to leave and hope some day to return. Highly...

This is now our favorite hotel and we have been all over the globe. The reason is that the service is flawless. We came to celebrate our daughter’s double graduation. She wanted to stay at a traditional Ryokan and I desired modern conveniences so we found this modern take on a Ryokan and it was a wonderful perfect choice. It is located in Gion which is great for walking. The rooms face a canal that flows from a river. The decor is light wood and sliding paper panels covering sliding glass doors. Very peaceful. There is in the winter a bit of a draft from the windows but the heat works great and we were comfortable. We stayed at the Urushi and Jiki rooms - the former has a wooden soaking tub. They both have seating areas and the latter has a small desk. They have small outdoor porches for when the weather is better. I love being able to open the doors and let in fresh air. The beds are very comfortable and we all slept well. It is mostly quiet except for an occasional car sound or ravens making sounds. We had a cute heron living across the canal I named Noaoki. The shower is nice but there is a large cement block in the middle that I didn’t think was necessary. |Now for the staff. They are amazing. The queen is a lady named Luna (Haruna in Japanese) who needs to have her salary doubled. She asked us our wishes before we arrived. She made sure all of our transportation was taken care of, that food allergies were respected, that we were at all times happy and entertained. It was like having a fairy godmother. We love Luna. She got us a walking tour with a wonderful Balinese man on staff named Mr. Dana. Great man with a great smile. Luna got us a meditation with a monk named Mr Ito at the Ryosokuin Temple. Amazing. She got us a tea ceremony at the Shigemori Tea House with geiko Fukuhiro and maiko Fukuyama. They prepared tea, performed and played a fun game with my kids. Luna was there to translate. So fun. She helped with restaurant reservations. The staff filled our tub with hot water, gave us treats like chilled yuzu water, handed us hand warmers on the way out, etc. Ten stars to all of them and a big thank you. Housecleaners kept everything neat and clean. Small complaint is that they rearranged personal items on the desk and would turn on a floor lamp at turndown that does not turn off with the master switch. That was it. All else was wonderful. The small restaurant was great for breakfast every day. Delicious food! We also went one night for dinner and it was good. Small nitpicks: the gluten free bread was lousy and tasted packaged (should be made in house). The chefs loudly cleaned the open kitchen during our meal (should wait until guests leave). After the very expensive meal, two of us who are not allergic were given cakes as a parting gift. It would be kind if they had also arranged gf cakes for the two of us with allergies. Luna made up for this slight by showering us with parting gifts that were very thoughtful and lovely. We were very very sad to leave and hope some day to return. Highly...